Fernand Bothy

Fernand Bothy began his amateur boxing career during World War II in a club founded by his father in the village of Farciennes in Wallonia. In the years after the war Bothy became a fixture at the Belgian amateur championships in the heavyweight class, although he never became a national champion. Despite good form going into the 1948 championships, he was knocked out in the first round of his semi-final, with rival Georges Rogiers winning the title. Even though he won the title, however, Rogiers was not selected for the European team to face the United States at the International Golden Gloves tournament in Chicago in April. Instead, Bothy and light-heavyweight boxer Vital L’Host were the Belgian representatives on the European team.

Three months after the American tour, Bothy qualified for the 1948 London Olympics after beating Rogiers on points in the final in Ghent. After receiving a bye in the first round, Bothy then faced Jay Lambert (USA) in the second round of the heavyweight tournament. Lambert knocked down Bothy In round two of the bout, with the American fighter eventually winning on points.

Bothy fought one more fight as an amateur, losing on points to Jean Cols in December 1948. He then made his professional début the following May, winning his first three fights. His next pro fight was in September against his old rival Georges Rogiers, with Rogiers getting revenge for missing out on the Olympics with a points victory. Bothy won his next fight, but lost his sixth and final professional fight in November. His professional career lasted a brief six months with a record of six fights, four wins, and two defeats. After his retirement Bothy worked as an insurance agent and started a family.